Smartphone-Free School Petition to be Presented to Council

Advocates for smartphone-free educational environments are preparing to present their proposal to local councillors. A petition, signed by nearly 2,500 individuals, requests that Brighton and Hove City Council implement a policy prohibiting smartphones in its schools. This petition is scheduled for discussion during the full council meeting on Thursday. Natalie Dean, an organizer of the initiative, stated that the council “can play a pivotal role in raising awareness and providing evidence-based guidance.” The petition outlines its objectives, stating: “We propose that the council encourages schools to adopt guidelines recommending that parents delay providing smartphones to their children until they are older.” It further adds: “We also call for the use of basic mobile phones or smartwatches that allow parents to stay in contact with their children without exposing them to the risks associated with smartphones.” Eight parents, representing the Smartphone-Free Childhood campaign, are expected to address the council, as reported by the Local Democracy Reporting Service. The petition references St Albans, where, along with certain schools in London, a policy is in place for confiscating any phone used during school hours. These devices are returned after a period of up to one week or when collected by a parent. In Hove, Cardinal Newman Catholic School employs a system where students’ phones are secured with a magnetic lock throughout the school day and are unsealed upon the students’ departure from school. The campaign group is currently collaborating with Cottesmore St Mary’s Catholic Primary School, where it plans to host an event in January. In June, a spokesperson for the city council commented: “We take the wellbeing of young people very seriously and earlier this year agreed £200,000 in funding for a new programme providing in-school mental health support to young people.”